(Reg's Column)
Dear Clients,

The last two months have been spent visiting clients in the large state of WA, operating from a caravan/ office. The Mid West (Geraldton area) seems to be benefiting from the buoyant mining industry. Further north, Exmouth has evolved into a popular tourist resort, since I was last there in 1970, during the US communications base hey day.

The Pilbara area (Dampier, Karratha, Newman, Robe, Whim Creek), with its huge outcrops of iron ore, gives one a sense of the old age of Australia. At Mt Tom Price, is Mount Nameless, the highest point in WA. Further north, the country is flatter in the Pt Hedland area, with the mines of Nifty, Woodie and Telfer, inland through Marble Bar.

Further north in the Kimberleys, the climate and vegetation changes again, to tropical savannah (lots of spear grass). In this area, are diamond mines and boab trees.

What is common to all these areas, are scientific people working hard to mine wealth, and supported by other scientific people who work for the local operations of the Main Roads Department, the Water Corporation, and the Agriculture Department. It is a privilege to try to keep these people supplied with scientific items.

My thanks to the able team in Perth, who support us being away from the office on this sales trip. (Kununurra at present).

Kind regards, Reg Rowe and Staff. (MD, C Chem, FRACI, B App Sci, MBA)